About Red Ribbon Club
The Red Ribbon Project was created by the New York-based Visual AIDS Artists Caucus in 1991. The artists who formed the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus wished to create a visual symbol to demonstrate compassion for people living with AIDS and their caregivers. Inspired by the yellow ribbons honoring American soldiers serving in the Gulf war, the color red was chosen for its, "connection to blood and the idea of passion not only anger, but love, like a valentine." First worn publicly by Jeremy Irons at the 1991 Tony Awards, the ribbon soon became renowned as an international symbol of AIDS awareness. The red ribbon is a symbol for drunk driving prevention, drug prevention and for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Red Ribbon International is an organization founded in 1993 whose main purpose is the education about prevention of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Related Complex, ARC and AIDS.
Red Ribbon Club (RRC) is a voluntary on campus intervention being implemented in the higher Educational institutions, aiming at heightening their risk perception and preventing HIV as well as promoting voluntary blood donation among youth between the age of 17-25 yrs. with the Department of Higher Education, technical support from TANSACS.
Aim of Red Ribbon Club
The aim of Red Ribbon Club formation in colleges is to encourage peer-to- peer messaging on HIV prevention and to provide a safe space for young people to seek clarifications of their doubts and on myths surrounding HIV/AIDS. The RRCs also promote voluntary blood donation among youth and safe sexual behaviours. The Red Ribbon Clubs also aim to enable the targeted youth to become more conscious about HIV/AIDS and related issues to further act as change agents in HIV/AIDS programmes.
- To reduce new HIV infection among youth by raising their risk perception through awareness on Sex, Sexuality and HIV & AIDS.
- To induce among youth the spirit to help and support people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) thereby reducing stigma and discrimination against PLHWAs.
- To motivate youth and build their capacity as peer educators and change agents by developing their skills on leadership, negotiation, and team building.
- To promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donation among youth.
Objectives of Red Ribbon Club at Akal University
The Red Ribbon Club started in 2016 at Akal University. With the following objectives:
- Educating youth with correct, concise and adequate information and heightening their level of awareness about HIV/AIDS/STI/sexuality and other related issues (thus eliminate myths and misconceptions).
- Enabling youth, especially the female students, to identify and understand situations of exploitation and abuse.
- Sensitizing the youth regarding care and support needs of PLWHA and instill in them the spirit of helping and supporting the people living with HIV & AIDS (PLWHA) and reduce the stigma and discrimination against them.
- Increasing youths’ access to health care services related to STI / HIV/AIDS/drug use.
- Creating linkages between youth and governmental, non-governmental agencies and community-based organizations to access safer and responsible healthy behavior.
- Organizing and facilitating voluntary blood donation camps and mobilizing the youth for voluntary blood donation.
- Creating among the youth a cadre of peer educators for seeking and encouraging positive health behavior as well as ensuring sustainability of the club.
The club has organised many activities till date such as:
- Seminar on AIDS Awareness (2016)
- Seminar on Human Body Organ Donation (2016)
- Guest Lecture on AIDS Awareness (2017)
- Seminar on Drug Awareness (2019)
- Blood Donation Camp (2019)
- Seminar / Awareness on Mental Disorders
- Workshop on First Aid
- Oral Health Camp
- Female Health Checkup Camp
- Blood Donation Camp
- Talk on Alzheimer’s Disease
- Poster-making on Cancer
- District-level poster-making Competition
- Physiotherapy Camp at Gurusar Joga
- Two-day Medical Checkup Camp
- Physiotherapy Camp at Ramnagar
- Empowering Youth: Health, Fitness and the Role of Red Ribbon Club
- Awareness Campaign in University Campus on Cancer/ AIDS
- Awareness Campaign at Giana Village
- Awareness Campaign at Bhamme Kalan
- First Aid Kit and Awareness Poster Distribution in the University Campus
- Blood Donation Camp
- Awareness on Parasports in Punjab
- Physiotherapy cum Drug Awareness Camp
- HIV/AIDS Awareness Event
- Webinar on Drug Awareness
- Pledge-taking on Constitution Day
- Poster Making Competition on World AIDS Day
Planned activities in upcoming session
– Interactive talk on PCOS and PCOD
– Awareness campaigns of cancer/AIDS in Rural villages
– First Aid Workshop
– Drug Awareness Campaign
– Youth rallies in different villages
– Cervical Health Awareness Event
– Interactive Lecture with Nutritionist
– International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in India
The Role of Red Ribbon Club in Youth Empowerment
- The RRC provides education on HIV/AIDS, sex, sexuality, and other related issues.
- The RRC helps young people develop leadership and team building skills.
- The RRC organizes blood donation camps and encourages young people to donate blood.
- RRC helps reduce the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
- The RRC helps young people access healthcare services related to HIV/AIDS.
- It helps young people develop healthy lifestyles.
- The RRC helps young people develop a sense of social responsibility.